Fact check: Does Trump's gold card grant Nicki Minaj US residency?
WASHINGTON, DC: Nicki Minaj revealed on Wednesday, January 28, that she received a Trump 'gold card' following an appearance at an event touting President Donald Trump's government-supported investment accounts for babies.
Following this, a rumor circulated online claiming that Trump's gold card grants Nicki Minaj her US residency. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.
Claim: Trump's gold card grants Nicki Minaj US residency
Nicki Minaj revealed the card, emblazoned with President Trump's face, in a post on X as the caption read, 'Welp'. She added in a follow-up post, 'Finalizing that citizenship paperwork as we speak as per MY wonderful, gracious, charming President' and 'Gold Trump card free of charge.'
Following her posts, several X users posted claiming the same. An X user wrote, "Nicki Minaj is OFFICIALLY a US Citizen after obtaining the Trump gold card. A high-priced investor visa that fast-tracks residency and citizenship for wealthy applicants."
Similarly, another X account wrote, "Nicki Minaj seemingly received the 'Gold Card' presented by Donald Trump. This card is part of a US immigration program that offers a pathway to permanent residency for wealthy foreign individuals who make financial contributions to the US."
"Nicki Minaj becomes an official permanent resident of the United States after receiving Trump’s Gold Card," another X account mentioned.
Meanwhile, Minaj also described herself as 'probably the president's No. 1 fan' during the event and said 'the hate or what people have to say, it does not affect me at all.'
Fact check: Claims made by Nicki Minaj and online posts are true
The claims made in the online posts are true, as the Trump Gold Card program grants US residency to qualifying applicants. The program was officially launched in December 2025 under an executive order from President Trump.
It allows wealthy foreign nationals to obtain expedited US permanent residency by making a substantial financial contribution to the US government. It is a visa that requires a $150,000 'DHS processing fee' and a '$1 million gift,' as per the government page for the card.
Interestingly, unlike the EB-5 investor visa (which requires job creation), the Gold Card has no mandatory job-creation requirement and is primarily donation-based. The program is active as of early 2026, with applications accepted and reports of significant uptake.
Nicki Minaj garnered attention when she spoke with Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, during Turning Point USA's America Fest in December. She told Erika, "You have amazing role models like the assassin JD Vance, our vice president."
Last November, after the POTUS announced possible military action against the Nigerian government over 'the killing of Christians,' the rapper publicly praised Trump. She then joined Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, on November 18, 2025, to speak about the issue.
